Tesla received a significant boost in China last week as the company cleared some key hurdles for its operations, as the company seeks to solidify its foothold in China.

Last week, the United States and Taiwan, under the auspices of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), held an in-person negotiating round for the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade in Taipei, Taiwan.

This past week, CTM covered the following issues. In China: * New tariff law * Blinken's China trip * MOFCOM comments on overcapacity in new energy sector and Japan’s export control proposal * SPS announcements In the U.S.: * Democratic Senators weigh in on Section 301 tariff review * Federal Reserve paper

With one U.S. investment already in place, a major Chinese solar manufacturing executive made comments recently indicating that the Chinese industry may have to expand these investments in order to sell in the U.S. market.

The China-Ecuador Free Trade Agreement (FTA) entered into force on May 1 after both sides finished their domestic legal procedures. The agreement would lower tariffs for Chinese steel and autos over time.

As the U.S. Trade Representative's Office (USTR) continues its review of the Section 301 tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on the basis of China’s policies in the area of intellectual property, technology transfer, and innovation, a group of seven Democratic Senators, led by Sherrod Brown

In April, China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) made the following announcements, opening its market to seafood and fruit from some South American and other countries, and lifting some import bans that had been imposed due to animal diseases.